The year was 1968, November 12th was the exact day. 23 years old to the day, Neil Young, released his 4th major album. Neil had a fairly brief, and fairly successful stint with Buffalo Springfield, and after he left that group, he wasted no time in starting his own solo career. From the prelude, "Emperor of Wyoming" to the final track "The Last Trip to Tulsa" you get a raw, young, Neil. Granted, this album is not Neil's finest, after all it is his first effort as a solo artist. If I was to introduce a newcomer to Neil Young, I probably wouldn't show them this album until they were far along the journey into his music. But you know, I am okay with that. Every artist has to start somewhere, and for this album to be his first solo work, it is truly amazing.
Favorite track: "Last Trip to Tulsa" My favorite Neil Young, is the Neil that tells stories through his music. This song is long, it clocks in at 9 minutes and 27 seconds. Neil doesn't use anything but his voice, and his lowly acoustic guitar. This song is a sort of foreshadowing to the future grandeur of Neil. Neil ended his first solo album with this, which to me, is saying "You haven't heard the last of me!"
Least favorite track: I really like all the tracks on this album, it is a different sort of Neil. He has a natural talent for exploring music and playing what he feels like. He is not afraid to make mistakes. If I have to choose a least favorite, it would be "What Did You Do to My Life." This is not a bad song, but it is so different from Neil's other work.
In all, "Neil Young" is a prelude, to the careers of one of modern music's greatest singer/songwriters. Thinking back on my listens to the album, I don't think I would change a thing about it. Final rating 4.0 / 5.0
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